Two sweetbay magnolias (Magnolia virginiana) were recently removed from the arboretum catalogue. During Hurricane Laura, a falling oak limb landed on top of the two trees, not killing them, but significantly mangling them. One was bent to a near 90⁰ angle; the other lost most of its crown. For the time being, the stumps remain for your inspection.
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The two white surfaces pictured above are sweetbay magnolia stumps. Before the storm, both trees appeared perfectly healthy. They were both approximately 35 years old. One tree was collected and planted in 1985, and the other was purchased from a nursery and planted in 1988. Exact ages are unknown, but they were nearly the same age. The two sawed-off stumps are interestingly dissimilar.
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One of the two stumps is noticeably larger than the other. This is the larger one. It's nearly two feet across and perfectly smooth.
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The tree rings are easy to see.
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The other stump is smaller and marred.
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The stump is a foot wide, and the damaged center is approximately three inches in length.
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